Setting tool for opening and closing envelope flap fasteners



July 29, 1941. B. K. WILLIAMS 2,250,848-

SETTING TOOL FOR OPENING AND CLOSING ENVELOPE FLAP FASTENERS Filed July28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS y 29, 1941- B. K. WILLIAMS 2,250,843

SETTING TOOL FOR OPENING AND CLOSING ENVELOPE FLAP FASTENERS Filed July28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY I ATTORNEYS Patented July 29, 1941 SETTINGP OOL FOR OPENING AND CLOSING ENVELOPE FLAP FASTENERS Benjamin K.Williams, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to F. L. Smithe Machine Co. Inc., NewYork, N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application July 28, 1938,Serial No. 221,741

11 Claims.

This invention relates to tools for bending the tongues of metalfasteners secured to the backs of envelopes whlich ltongues normally liefiat against the back of the envelope, but which may be bent upwardlyinto substantial parallelism, then passed through an opening in theclosing flap of the envelope, and finally spread out fiat again over themargins of the flap opening to secure the flap in closed position.

Envelopes having this type of fastener are usually supplied to the tradewith the tongues spread out fiat against the back wall of the envelopeand with the flap folded against the envelope wall. In using envelopesso furnished by the manufacturer, it is necessary to raise the tonguesfrom the envelope wall, and bend them up into substantial parallelism inorder to close the flap of the envelope after inserting the article orarticles which are to be enclosed or packed in it.

In cases where many envelopes are used, the

operations of first bending up the tongues and later bending them downagainst the flaps to retain the flaps in closed position, take upconsiderable time as it has been the practice for the operator to effectthis bending by grasping the tongues with his fingers. Also, in somecases, the tongues furnished have sharp edges, or small burrs formed onthem, which wear off the skin of the operators fingers.

It is an object of my invention to effect a saving in the operators timeby theprovision of suitable tools which accomplish the upbend-' ing andflattening out of the tongues quickly and with little effort on the partof the operator. These tools have the further advantage that theoperator need not touch the metal tongues with his fingers so that nocuts or other disfigurement of his hands results from their use over along period of time.

By the use of the tools embodying the invention, the tongues are alsobrought uniformly to the proper positions required, the opening toolhaving opposed deflecting surfaces, which cause the gradual bending upof each tongue of a pair until they lie substantially parallel and withtheir ends close together, ready for easy insertion through the aperturein the-flap. After such insertion and closure of the flap against theenvelope body, a characteristic feature of the invention is theprovision of a tool having a blade insertable between the tongues andwhose advancement along the back of the envelope spreads the tonguesapart and bends them down into uniform, fiat engagement with the flap ofthe envelope to secure its closure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription of the particular physical embodiments of the inventionselected for illustration herein progresses.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference have beenapplied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which makeup the drawings, in which: i Fig. 1 is a front view, partlyin section,of a fastener opening tool embodying the invention, and also showing anenvelope having a fastener in position to beopened;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool, envelope" and fastener of Fig. l,with portions of the tool handle and envelope brokenolf;

Fig. 3 is an end view taken from the right of the tool portion, fastenerand a portion of the envelope shown in Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a front view of a fastener closing tool embodying theinvention, and also showing an envelope with its flap closed and havinga fastener with its tongues in position to be bent down;

Fig. 5 is a plan'view of the too-l, fastener and envelope of Fig. 4,with portions of the tool handle and envelope broken off;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, through the headportion of the tool taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4 in the directionindicated by the arrows; and, Fig. 7 is an end View taken from the rightof the head of the tool and the envelope fastener shown in Fig. 5 on anenlarged scale.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the fastener opening tool is shown inposition for opening the bendable tongues I of an envelope fastener 2 ofa known type and which is provided with.

oppositely disposed lobes 3 having the downwardly turned prong portions{which are transfixed through the two overlapping edge portions 5 and 6of the rear wall 1 of the envelope and clinched against the inside ofwall I to secure the fastener firmly thereto. The flap 8 is shownprovided with the usual aperture 9 in position to admit the tongues Iafter they have been opened or bent upwards by the tool II and uponclosing of the flap about the fold line Ill.

The tool is shown as comprising an inclined handle portion I la, a footportion 12 and a downwardly extending connecting portion l3, the partsbeing so arranged that the operators hand is spaced above the surface ofthe envelope a convenient amount for operation of the tool. The foot [2is widened out at the front and cut away at the center to provide spacedapart toe portions M and I5. Each toe portion is shown as having a fiatportion I6 adapted to afford a substantial area of contact with the wallI of the envelope, and which is connected at the rear with theconnecting portion l3 by an upwardly curved extension as indicated at H.The toes l4 and I5 are shaped in front to provide oppositely disposedinclined bending surfaces and [9, each of Which starts at the forwardtip of the toe and extends rearwardly and upwardly along a curve 2|,merging at the rear into a straight, vertical wall portion 22, theparallel wall portions 22 being spaced apart a suitable distance tobring the tongues I into substantial parallelism, as shown in Fig. 3.The parallel wall portions 22 extend clear through to the rear of thetoe to provide clearance for the passage of i the bent up tonguestherethrough and are connected at the top by a curved roof portion 23,as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. As shown in Fig. 2, each of the bendingsurfaces [8 and I9 terminates at the level of the flat bottom portion l6of the toe in a curve which progresses from the tip 20 inwardly andrearwardly and merges at the rear into the bottom of a vertical wall 22.It is also to be observed that each of the bending or deflectingsurfaces l8'and l9 meets the flat.

portion IE5 at the forward tip 29 of the toe at a sharp, acute angle inorder to permit the tip portion of the toes to be readily insertedbetween the envelope body and the outer end portions of the tongues l.ihe entire tool is preferably made of a hard material such as steel butmay be made of other material or materials as desired.

In using the tool, the envelope is placed, with either the flap 8 openor closed, and with the tongues I bent flat, on a suitable supportingsurface and, with the flat portion l6 resting against the envelope thetool is pushed forward to the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, andthe tips 29 of the toes inserted under the outer end por- 1:-

tions of the tongues l. Further forward motion of the tool, whilekeeping the bottom surfaces I55 of the toes in contact with the envelopeor flap, causes the tongues to be progressively bent upwardly andinwardly, by the deflecting surfaces l8 and 9 until they are paralleland their outer faces are in engagement with the inner vertical wallsurfaces 22, as shown in Fig. 3. Further forward motion of the toolcauses the surfaces 22 to move along the upbent tongues I and the toolto finally leave the fastener with the tongues upbent into the desiredposition of substantial parallelism. It is to be pointed out that theupbending operation is effected by a single forward motion of the toolwithout raising or lowering its handle portion Ho and while maintainingthe flat portions H5 of the toes against the body or flap of theenvelope. The clear passageway through the center of the tool provides aclearance space for its passage over the lobes 3 and the upbent tonguesl.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 7, the fastener closing tool 24 is shown ascomprising a handle portion 24a and a foot portion 25 having a flat topsurface 25 and similar parallel side faces 2! and 28 which extendforward to the region defined by the curved edge 29. The front end ofthe foot is formed to define a narrow centrally disposed vertical toeportion 39 whose side faces 3! and 32 are parallel for a substantialdistance from the top face 25 and then taper inwardly somewhat asindicated at 33, Fig. 7. From the toe each side face curves outwardlyand downwardly progressively toward the rear to define bending ordeflecting surfaces 34 and 35 which intersect the fiat surfaces 21 and28 along the curved lines 29, the upper portions of the surfaces 34 and35 in the plane of the top surface 26 being defined by the concavecurves 35 and 3'! (Fig. 5). The bending surfaces 34 and 35 are definedat the bottom of the foot by curved lines 38 and 39 which widen outrearwardly as shown in Fig. 5 and each of which extends from a flatportion 40 at the rear of the foot to the bottom of the toe 3%] as shownin Fig. 4. The bottom of the foot is also cut away as indicated bycurved line 4| (Fig. 6) to provide a suitable clearance space as definedby curves 38, 39 and 4| in order that the bottom of the foot will clearthe lobes 3 of the fastener and permit the flat portions 49 to glidealong the envelope wall during the operation of closing the fastener. Tosecure the closure of an envelope, the flap 8 is folded down fiatagainst the rear wall thereof with the fastener tongues l projectingupwards through the opening 9 in the flap, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.The operator then places the tool on the envelope wall I with the narrowtoe portion 30 between the upstanding fastener tongues E. The tool isthen advanced, keeping the flat foot portions 48 in contact with theenvelope wall I, the bending surfaces 34 and 35 spreading the tonguesapart and bending them downwardly as the tool progresses. The forwardmotion is continued until the fiat surfaces 49 ride over the outer endsof the tongues and press the tongues flat and into firm contact with thesurface of flap 8, thereby effecting the closure of the envelope.

A feature of the invention which is utilized in both the opening andclosing tools is the provision of spaced apart deflecting or bendingsurfaces, as exemplified by the surfaces l8 and IQ of the opening tooland surfaces 34 and 35 of the closing tool, whose slope or inclinationprogressively changes along the length of the foot. As above explained,these oppositely disposed surfaces may be used to bend the tongues intosubstantial parallelism or flatten them out, as desired.

While the invention has been described in connection with the closurefastener of an envelope,

it will be understood that both the opening and closing tools or eitherof them separately may be employed toupbend or flatten outsimultaneously two bendable members associated with a member other thana fastening device.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of myinvention. I do not wish,

1 however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire tocover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tool adapted to bend two oppositely disx posed bendable memberscomprising in combination, a handle, a foot portion secured to saidhandle, and comprising spaced apart toes, each having a .tip portionadapted for inseltion under one of the bendable member-s and adeflecting surface which rises progressively from the tip tions.

2. A tool adapted to'bend two oppositely disposed bendable memberscomprising in combination, a handle, a foot portion secured to saidhandle and comprising oppositely disposed toes, each having a tipportion adapted for insertion under one of the bendable members and adeflecting surface arranged to progressively raise the bendable memberupon the forward movement of the .tool and the rear portions of thedeflecting surfaces being so disposed as to bring the bendable membersinto substantial parallelism. I

3. A tool adapted to bend two bendable members projecting from theopposite sides of a fastener device and cmprising in combination, ahandle, a foot portion secured to said handle and comprising twooppositely disposed toes, each toe having a substantially flat bottomportion and a deflecting surface which is disposed to form an acuteangle with the front of said flat bottom portion and to progressivelyraise the bendable member upon forward movement of the tool and the rearportion sof the deflecting surfaces being spaced apart and substantiallyparallel.

4. A tool adapted to bend two bendable members projecting from theopposite sides of a fastener device and comprising in combination, ahandle, a foot secured to said handle and comprising two oppositelydisposed toes, each toe having a tip portion adapted for insertion underone of the bendable members near its outer end, and a deflecting surfacemerging into said tip portion and sloping progressively inwardly andupwardly toward the rear of the toe and there terminating in asubstantially vertical wall.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4 in which the vertical wallsextend through to the rear of the foot to thereby provide a clearpassageway through the foot for the passage of the unbent bendablemembers therethrough.

6. A tool adapted to bend into substantial parallelism two tonguesextending from the opposite sides of a fastener device and comprising ahandle, a foot portion secured to said handle and having a centralaperture formed therethrough, the side walls of said aperture beingdisposed progressively inwardly and upwardly from front to rear and theheight of said aperture being somewhat greater than the length of saidtongues.

'7. A tool adapted to flatten out two upstanding bendable memberscomprising in combination, a handle, a foot portion secured to saidhandle and having oppositely disposed side faces which are insubstantial horizontal alignment at the rear portion of the foot andbecome progressively more vertical towards its front portion, the sidefaces at the front of the foot being spaced slightly apart to form anarrow toe portion adapted for insertion between the bendable membersand the side faces intersecting the top surface of the foot in a pair ofoppositely disposed concave curves terminating in the narrow toeportion.

8. A tool adapted to flatten out two upstanding bendable memberscomprising, in combination, a handle, a foot secured to said handle andhavingits lower rear surface horizontally disposed, a narrow verticaltoe portion at the front of the foot and adapted for insertion betweenthe bendable members and said foot having progressively curved sidefaces which terminate in the opposite faces of the toe portion and inthe horizontal surface at the rear of the foot, the lower rear surfaceof the foot being formed with a longitudinally extending recess tothereby provide two spaced apart bearing areas adapted to engage theends of the bendable members.

9. A tool adapted to flatten out two upstanding bendable memberscomprising in combination, a handle, a foot secured to said handle andhaving its lower rear surface formed to provide a pair of spaced apartbearing faces, a narrow front toe portion adapted for insertion betweenthe bendable members and progressively curved side faces which terminateat the rear in said bearing faces and at the front in the opposite facesof said toe portion, the lower portion of the side faces terminating ina pair of oppositely disposed concave marginal edges.

10. A tool adapted to simultaneously bend a pair of tongues extendingfrom the central body portion of a sheet metal fastener, said fastenerbeing also provided with a pair of aligned lobes having envelopeattaching means, said tool comprising a handle, a foot secured to saidhandle and being provided at its forward end with a pair of oppositelyinclined spaced deflecting surfaces adapted to engage the faces of thefastener tongues, the inclination of each of said surfaces progressivelyincreasing in the lengthwise direction of the foot and the lower surfaceof the foot being formed to provide a pair of spaced coplanarfoot-supporting areas and with a cen-,

trally disposed, longitudinally extending recess adapted to receive andpass the aligned lobes during a traverse of the tool for bending thetongues of a fastener.

11. A tool adapted to flatten out two upstanding bendable metallicsecuring members comprising in combination, a handle, a foot fixedlysecured to said handle and having its lower rear surface horizontallydisposed, a narrow vertical toe portion formed integral with said footat the front thereof and adapted for insertion between the bendablemembers and said foot having progressively curved side faces whichterminate in the opposite faces of the toe portion and in the horizontalsurf-ace at the rear of the foot, said side faces terminating at theirlower ends in a pair of oppositely disposed concave marginal edges.

BENJAMIN K. WILLIAMS.

